5&1
by AnotherPerson5
Summary: Five times Pepper turned down Tony and the 1 time she asked him out. Prompt from the Small Fandoms Fest.


Title: 5&1

Author:Crabwise_son/Anotherperson5

Fandom:Iron Man (Movie universe)

Pairing/Characters: Pepper/Tony

Prompt: 5 Times Pepper Turned him down and the 1 time she asked him out

A/N: For the Small Fandoms Fest .com/smallfandomfest/

1.

"Are you kidding right now, is that what you're doing?"

"What?" he has the nerve to look shocked, "I am not kidding. You are a smoking gun and I would love to take you out."

"Is that right?"

"That is right."

She leans forward, fingers interlaced on the table, "Why has your watch been counting backwards from five minutes."

"Because….Rhodey?"

His friend shakes his head from the corner of the office, "I told you this was a bad idea."

"Way to be a pal there Rhodes."

"Whose the bet with Tony?"

"_Nobody_. You know this lack of trust hints at deeper issues which should be explored. Tonight. Over dinner. How about it?"

Tony sighs, helping James off the floor, "We were _this _close to owning the Batmobile."

2.

He sits beside her on the couch, "I have a question."

"Have you finished your speech?"

"I'm sorry maybe I didn't make myself clear: **I **have a question." Pepper continues typing, not looking away from her laptop screen. After a moment she nods and he continues, "Do you like Italian?"

"Yes."

"Do you like Opera?"

"Yes."

"Do you find me attractive?"

Her eyes raise heavenwards, "Is that relevant?"

"No, but while I've got you." he smirks, "Happy has tickets to a couple sold out operettas of which he knows nothing and you know everything so I took them off his hands. Interested?"

She gestures to the screen where she's currently sending an e-mail to the theater board, "I was just pleading my case."

"Well then it's a plan." He hands her the two tickets, smile wide as she closes her laptop and lets him walk her to the door, even forgetting to chide him on the unwritten speech.

It isn't until they're at the door and he's about to say something that she squeezes his arm, "Thank you again, my sister is going to be so excited."

"Sister?"

"Yeah Puccini is her favorite." she finally notices the look on his face, "Oh, you didn't think-?"

"No. That is unless you want to?"

"No. I mean, it's hardly appropriate. Me, you, private booth-"

"Candle lit dinner."

"Exactly. People could get the wrong impression."

"And the right one would be?"

Pepper is all at once aware that her hand has slid down his arm and the space between them is getting smaller smaller. She takes a step backwards and stumbles, but keeps moving, avoiding his attempts to help her straighten up and high tailing to her car

"Tell Happy thanks for the tickets!"

"Will do!" he laughs, whistling as he heads back inside.

3.

"I'm in love with her."

"We haven't even drank, you have beer goggles on already?"

"Not her," Tony grabs his friends' arm turning him around, "Pepper."

"Oh…well it's about time."

"She's all by herself at the bar."

"And she hasn't yelled at you once all night."

They exchange a look and chorus, "Make a move."

James raises his glass in cheers and Tony strides over, summoning up all the bravado and self restraint in the world to kiss her cheek and pull back. She hates impulsive, hates it, slow and steady. So instead of diving in he lets them chat for a minute, ordering a drink and losing himself in familiar banter. That is until he chances a glance in James's direction who is tapping his watch and pointing to someone in the distance.

"You going home after this?"

Pepper shrugs, "Maybe, I'm not so tired."

"Well that coffeehouse you like is open all night and there's a matter of nonfatal but nonetheless urgent importance we need to discuss."

"Why don't we leave now, then, traffic is always…"

She trails off not needing to finish and Tony rushes to retrieve their coats, a noticeable bounce in his step that prompts a low-five from a passing James. But what he sees upon returning solidifies him in place.

Pepper kissing someone else.

He coughs loudly, tearing the couple from their close embrace, the man wiping from his mouth lipstick as red as Pepper's blush. It all comes out in a rush. An old boyfriend she'd roomed with in college thanks to a feminine sounding family name and paperwork mishap, a funny story really and would Tony mind if she took a rain check on that coffee.

"Unless it really is important," she adds, "Is it?"

"Uh…no," he lets out the breath he'd been holding, "No, it's fine, have a great time you,-" they walk away, "horrible wonderful woman you."

When he turns around James is holding out a drink.

4.

"I know two superheroes who would gladly deposit Enrica on the top of the Statue of Liberty since the bastard seems to love women so much."

She tilts the phone away so that he can't hear the sob in her laugh, "No, I'm okay. I am."

"I haven't seen you in three days, you're not okay."

"My replacement is driving you crazy isn't he?"

"The man has no sense of humor. He still thinks Rhodey's alter ego is War Homo….I guess it's not all bad." This time she can't muffle her laughter and the break in character causes Tony's voice to soften, "You're supposed to talk about stuff like this, Happy says he read it in a book somewhere. What do you say?"

"I'll call HR for someone new."

Tony calculates that if he leaves now Enrica could be calling for a helicopter before the meeting is over.

5.

She watches him get ready for the battle, Bruce and Steve pacing a few feet behind her while Fury and the rest go over the plan for the millionth time.

"They don't need you."

"They don't not need me either." she stands between him and the suit, "Pepper."

"I cannot let you do this, I'm sorry."

"Are you?"

"Tony-"

"You won't even give me a chance."

"It's complicated."

"It's simple." She crosses her arms, "You're afraid of losing me."

"You want to risk your life when it's not even-"

"Necessary?" he finishes, "Everything I do needs to be done. Everything needs to be done because if it isn't, it's just another unanswered question. So what if they don't need me, so what if they could win without me. But each blow I take means one less that someone else doesn't have to and that's necessary." He grips her shoulders in both hands, "I love you Potts."

"Don't you dare." she shakes her head, "We're not having this conversation. I am _not _having this conversation."

"This might be it-"

"No, because if it were then this would be the part where I give in and tell you I'll be with you, but I'm not. Because this isn't 'it' and I've stopped having this conversation."

"Potts!"

Bruce holds him back from chasing after her, shaking his head.

6.

James has left, the guards have strong-armed out the press and the room has been vacated but for Tony the machines and Pepper. Any minute now, the doctor had assured her and Pepper's eyes have been flicking from the bed to the clock ever since.

At three 'o clock she calls up for coffee. At noon James tells her to go home. At nine the next day she starts to think about it.

And at four-forty five in the morning Tony opens his eyes and asks if it's still Tuesday.

"Try Thursday."

"Last time I felt this bad Rhodey had a flat top and was telling me to 'chug'." he sits up with a loud guttural groan, "Where is War Homo anyways?" he suddenly seems to notice that Pepper is staring at him in silence, the look on her face making him wonder if she's about to yell or cry. "What?" he motions to the infinite number of scratches and bruises mottling his skin, "something on my face?"

He isn't sure if she laughs or sobs, taking the raised hand between her own and pressing it gently to her cheek for a moment with eyes closed. When she opens them she sees his own betray tiredness as well as puzzlement.

"Tony?"

"Yeah."

"What are you doing after this?"

The corners of his mouth twitch upwards, "Absolutely nothing."


End file.
